Security Solutions Today: Vol. 1 / 2021

JAN / FEB 2021

NAVIGATING THE NEW NORMAL SAFELY Implementing new security measures during a pandemic

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CONTENT / CONTACT

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

CONTACT

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In The News

PUBLISHER Steven Ooi (steven.ooi@tradelinkmedia.com.sg)

Updates From Asia And Beyond

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Eric Ooi (eric.ooi@tradelinkmedia.com.sg)

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Security Feature

EDITOR Muneerah Bee (sst@tradelinkmedia.com.sg)

+ Operating Safely In The New

Normal + Pandemic Measures Around

the World

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MARKETING MANAGER Felix Ooi (felix.ooi@tradelinkmedia.com.sg) HEAD OF GRAPHIC DEPT / ADVERTISEMENT CO-ORDINATOR Fawzeeah Yamin (fawzeeah@tradelinkmedia.com.sg) CIRCULATION Yvonne Ooi (yvonne.ooi@tradelinkmedia.com.sg)

Calendar Of Events

In The News

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Pluxity Launches Platform That Allows Smart Control of Airports and Factories Flexibly

Security Feature Operating Safely In The New Normal

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Vectors Credit: Freepik.com Designed by Fawzeeah Yamin

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

is published quarterly by Trade Link Media Pte Ltd (Co. Reg. No.: 199204277K) 101 Lorong 23, Geylang, #06-04, Prosper House, Singapore 388399 Tel: +65 6842 2580 Fax: +65 6842 2581 ISSN 2345-7112 (E-periodical)

Disclaimer: The editor reserves the right to omit, amend or alter any press release submitted for publication. The publisher and the editor are unable to accept any liability for errors or omissions that may occur, although every effort had been taken to ensure that the contents are correct at the time of going to press.

The editorial contents contributed by consultant editor, editor, interviewee and other contributors for this publication, do not, in any way, represent the views of or endorsed by the Publisher or the Management of Trade Link Media Pte Ltd. Thus, the Publisher or Management of Trade Link Media will not be accountable for any legal implications to any party or organisation.

Views and opinions expressed or implied in this magazine are contributors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Security Solutions Today and its staff. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

For advertising interests, please email us at info@tradelinkmedia.com.sg.

JAN / FEB 2021

IN THE NEWS

ALLEGION ACQUIRES TECHNOLOGY COMPANY YONOMI Global security products and solutions provider Allegion has acquired privately held technology company Yonomi in January.

Yonomi is a smart home integration platform founded in 2013 by building automation and enterprise cloud computing experts. It was the first to create an agnostic smart-home ecosystem that automatically discovers and coordinates devices.

Yonomi said its solutions are used in more than 150 countries, and millions of IoT devices are connected to its platforms.

leaders in home and enterprise solutions for the IoT – supporting our ‘partner of choice’ strategy.”

According to Allegion Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Vince Wenos, Yonomi also holds unique intellectual property that matches well to Allegion’s strategic priorities for accelerating growth through seamless access, innovative solutions and meaningful partnerships.

Wenos added: “We are a customer of the Yonomi platform, ourselves, having embraced Yonomi ThinCloud technology as a part of our residential smart deadbolt ecosystem. This, too, makes us a firm believer in Yonomi solutions and, especially, the team behind them.”

“Yonomi’s patented technology and technical capabilities will help accelerate Allegion’s vision of seamless access and enhance the breadth of our software development capabilities,” Wenos said. “It also opens avenues for integration with

Yonomi’s CEO Kent Dickson will become vice president and general manager of the Yonomi business unit within Allegion. Dickson noted that Allegion has been an investor in Yonomi since 2017 and the acquisition is a natural evolution for

the Yonomi business.

“This is an exciting moment in time for the Yonomi family and our customers,” Dickson said. “As an early provider of IoT solutions, Allegion truly understands the value of connected ecosystems and shares an important role in progressing smart-home solutions through its industry-leading brands like Schlage. In addition, Allegion has been a significant partner of, and investor in, our company, and this acquisition provides more capital and capacity for growth of our existing technologies and platforms.”

Yonomi employs more than 20 people at its operations in Colorado and Texas in the United States. 

DAHUA TECHNOLOGY OBTAINS ISO/IEC 27701 CERTIFICATE Video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider Dahua Technology recently announced that it has obtained ISO/IEC 27701 Certificate from British Standards Institution (BSI).

Formed in 1901, BSI was the world’s first National Standards Body. Representing UK interests at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the European Standards Organizations (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI), BSI aims help improve the quality and safety of products, services and systems by enabling the creation of standards and encouraging their use.

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IN THE NEWS

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

ISO/IEC 27701 is a privacy extension to the ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management and ISO/IEC 27001 Security Controls. As an international management system standard, it provides guidance on the protection of privacy, including how organisations should manage personal information, and assists in demonstrating compliance with privacy regulations around the world.

According to the certificate, Dahua Technology’s Privacy Information Management System complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 27701:2019 for the registered scope that is planning, design and development of the company’s security surveillance products and associated

software platform (including DSS series and ICC series).

Mr. Liu Zhe, Vice President at BSI China, said: “Dahua Technology is the first enterprise in the global security industry that has acquired ISO/IEC 27701 certificate, and this fully demonstrates the company’s perspectiveness and continuous practices in data security and privacy protection.”

With its mission of “Enabling a safer society and smarter living”, Dahua Technology said it will continue to focus on “Innovation, Quality and Service” to serve its global partners and customers. 

G4S PUBLISHES ASIA EMERGING RISKS REPORT 2020 Integrated global security company G4S recently published its Asia Emerging Risks report. The report provides a comprehensive tactical overview of the preeminent risks impacting 19 of Asia’s top destinations to enable organisations to deploy risk-mitigation strategies to protect their employees and assets, especially during travel.

“Asia continues to be one of the world’s most diverse and complicated regions with many security challenges and business opportunities, including the rise of China as an economic superpower, the impact of U.S. foreign and trade policy, internal conflicts in some countries, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change,” said Robert Dodge, President of G4S Corporate Risk Services. “Our high-level analysis is designed to provide our global clients with a relevant and accurate picture of the major and emerging security risks across the region.”

Produced in collaboration with Hill & Associates, a G4S company with offices and analysts across Asia, and the G4S Corporate Risk Services analyst team at the Security Risk Operations Center (SROC) in Jupiter,

Photo by Jimmy Chan from Pexels

Florida, the report breaks down each country assessment by risk types: political stability, crime, terrorism/ insurgency, civil unrest, emergency response capabilities, health and environmental threats.

The Asia Emerging Risks report is the second in an annual series that highlights the highly refined analytics and global reporting capabilities of G4S Corporate Risk Services, and is a

follow up to the team’s Latin America Emerging Travel Risks 2019 report.

G4S offers security efficiencies by implementing the Security Risk Management Model, a risk-based, data-driven approach used to oversee enterprise security and helps determine the resources clients want to protect, the potential risk exposure to these resources and the possible resolutions. 

For over three decades Altronix has earned its global reputation for the highest quality and reliability, offering exceptional power and data transmission solutions engineered and manufactured exclusively in the USA – all backed by the best customer support and our unique lifetime warranty. And we’re stronger than ever. As we continue to grow and the industry evolves, rest assured you can always trust your security to Altronix.

MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S.A. & BACKED BY A LIFETIME WARRANTY

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IN THE NEWS

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

UNITED STATES CAPITOL SUFFER SECURITY BREACH AS RIOTERS STORM THE BUILDING The iconic American building in Washington, DC was under siege on 6 January 2021 when rioters trespassed into the premise by breaking through doors and windows.

The rioters were supporters of United States (US) President Donald Trump who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. The event took place shortly after the president held a highly-charged rally not far from the Capitol, where the winner of the election would be certified that day. Trump had encouraged the crowd to march towards the Capitol and “fight like hell”.

Image by MotionStudios from Pixabay

The violent mob caused a lot of damage to the property and five people died from the incident, including a Capitol Police officer, with dozens getting seriously injured from the chaos. Improvised explosive devices (IED) and explosives were reported to be found during the riot.

According to media reports, some buildings in the complex were evacuated and Capitol security also managed to evacuate the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.

Thirteen individuals have been charged so far. 

LENELS2 AND BOSCH BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES TEAM UP TO RESELL BOSCH IP CAMERAS Advanced physical security systems and services provider LenelS2 recently announced a strategic agreement with Bosch Building Technologies, a global supplier of security, safety, and communications products and systems, to resell Bosch IP cameras in North America and Europe. As a result of the agreement, end users will have access to the complete Bosch IP camera portfolio through LenelS2’s Value-Added Resellers (VARs).

The Bosch IP camera portfolio integrates with all LenelS2™ video management solutions to enhance critical video analytics capabilities that help protect people and assets and optimise building health and efficiency.

The relationship provides a convenient, single source for LenelS2 VARs to procure and build their video surveillance solutions. VARs will be able to leverage a unified support infrastructure for products across both company product

lines. LenelS2 and Bosch are developing tighter integrations between products to enable advanced features for future product releases. Bosch cameras integrate with all LenelS2™ OnGuard® and NetBoxÔ ecosystem video management solutions including LenelS2 NVR (LNVR),

JAN / FEB 2021

IN THE NEWS

UltraView, VRxÔ, and NetVRÔ. Bosch cameras also integrate with Milestone XProtect® in support of LenelS2 and Milestone’s distribution agreement.

also incorporate advanced video analytics, bandwidth management features, industry-leading hardware and software cybersecurity.

Jeff Stanek, president, LenelS2 said this partnership was a natural step to take as Bosch Building Technologies is a longtime partner and member of the LenelS2 OpenAccess Alliance Program (OAAP) since 2010. “This alliance further supports our commitment to providing open platforms and comprehensive Healthy Buildings solutions, enabling our customers to select the best solutions for their security needs,” he added.

Featuring a full library of essential and intelligent analytics capabilities, Bosch cameras can proactively detect a variety of objects and events, which helps to create healthier, safer workspaces, according to the company.

The Bosch camera portfolio includes a wide array of products from small form factors ideal for offices to cameras designed for industrial applications such as utility and transportation infrastructure. The cameras

“By providing direct access to our portfolio of IP cameras, this collaboration makes it easier for LenelS2 VARs to meet the needs and requirements of end users with intelligent Bosch devices,” said Tanja Rückert, president, Bosch Building Technologies. “This agreement will enable innovative solutions made possible with features like builtin video analytics, tighter product integrations and greater choice for customers.” 

PLUXITY LAUNCHES PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS SMART CONTROL OF AIRPORTS AND FACTORIES FLEXIBLY Digital Twin service company Pluxity has launched PLUG-airport, a digital twin-based integrated control solution for special-purpose venues, which is developed with the source technology as the basis.

Based on 3D spatial information, PLUGairport can control physical security systems including closed-circuit TVs and access control, as well as other systems such as lightings and environmental sensors in a single 3D map.

The company noted that airports and power plants that have complicated control points need smart integrated control solutions, as such solutions can allow operators to check intuitively the status of closed-circuit TVs, electric safety systems, and fire prevention systems through the 3D map while responding in real time to problems as they occur.

Photo by skitterphoto from Pexels

An official of Pluxity said: “Far removed from the conventional closed-circuit TV monitoring system, our platform is based on 3D spatial information and can respond quickly and accurately to developing situations. As it has been developed as a platform custom-tailored to each and every purpose, we expect that its demand from the building management platform industry will increase rapidly.”

Pluxity’s digital twin services are utilised in Seoul, Busan, and the Incheon International Airport in South Korea as well as a newly built city in Turkmenistan. 

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IN THE NEWS

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

HANWHA TECHWIN LAUNCHES NEW CAMERA MODULE FOR ATM AND RETAIL APPLICATIONS

Global security company Hanwha Techwin recently launched PNM-9000QB designed for ATM, and other covert fraud and theft detection applications. The remote camera heads comprise an image sensor camera equipped with a fixed, pinhole or fisheye lens.

They are designed to be installed remotely from the other components of a video surveillance camera and this means they can be discreetly installed within an ATM and other tight spaces, or located neatly into a corner of a room or lift with the help of mounting brackets.

Specially designed cables With Hanwha Techwin’s Wisenet7 chipset at its heart, the PNM-9000QB camera module is able to simultaneously process images from the four remote head cameras. With less cable and network switches required, the module is more cost-effective than its single channel predecessor, as the time system integrators have to spend on-site is reduced. With a single IP connection, there is also a cost saving for end-users, as only one VMS license is required.

When connected via specially designed cables and installed on the other side of a wall to a module, the camera heads are totally isolated from the network.

Besides benefitting end-users, it is also important to banks who need to protect confidential customer data and prevent fraud.

Contrasting light conditions The Tamper Detection feature is included in the module’s suite of Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) Additional

protection comes in the form of Tamper Detection which generates an alarm if someone covers, changes the angle or sprays paint on one of the head camera’s lenses. The Tamper Detection feature is included in the module’s suite of Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA), as is defocus detection, motion detection and loitering detection.

The Wisenet7 chipset at the heart of the PNM-9000QB features Hanwha Techwin’s latest generation ‘extreme’ Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology. This performs at up to 120dB to enable each of the remote camera heads to capture clear, sharp two-megapixel Full HD images at full frame rate even in strongly contrasting light conditions which often exist at ATMs’ sites.

Cyber security technologies The UL Cybersecurity Assurance Program (UL CAP) certificated Wisenet7 chipset built into the PNM-9000QB is packed with technologies which collectively offer the highest possible levels of protection for edge-based cameras from the activities of cyber criminals.

These cyber security technologies, together with tamper detection and the use of special network cables, offer banks, retailers and other types of end-users with peace of mind in knowing their confidential data will be kept safe from hackers.

“The PNM-9000QB camera module offers a highly secure and cost-effective way for security personnel to monitor live images or capture video evidence of activity at rows of ATMs installed at airports, banks, hotels, leisure facilities or shopping centers,” said an official at Hanwha Techwin. 

JAN / FEB 2021

SECURITY FEATURE - OPERATING SAFELY IN THE NEW NORMAL

Operating Safely In The New Normal

By Muneerah Bee

The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged us and changed the way we live and how companies conduct their operations and economic activities, including new approaches to security management.

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prevent infections, and temperature screenings became part of their daily routine.

When the lockdowns and curfews were finally lifted, social distancing and mask wearing became the norm as people resumed their daily lives in educational institutions, public and commercial facilities.

Residents around the world were encouraged or mandated to wear face masks as a preemptive measure to

Unmasking New Technology

hat started as a cluster of pneumonia cases in China quickly became a worldwide pandemic last year. Many countries swiftly jumped into action and took precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus within their borders. They also applied strict restrictions on travel to contain the disease.

Businesses had to implement new technologies and strategies to better manage human traffic and human congregation at work and public spaces, especially at entry and exit points. For example, face recognition technologies, which are widely used for personal identification purposes in mobile devices, workplaces and other facilities, had to evolve with the current requirements.

While NEC Corporation has an established history of developing face recognition technology that is

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compatible with face masks, the Japanese multinational information technology and electronics company recently took a step further and developed a face recognition engine that is specially designed to recognise subjects wearing face masks.

Face recognition operates by extracting feature points, such as the position, shape, and size of a subject’s eyes, nose, and mouth, and matching and identifying detected faces.

Hence, this engine focuses on areas surrounding an individual’s eyes that are not covered by masks to extract

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

Businesses had to implement new technologies and strategies to better manage human traffic and human congregation at work and public spaces, especially at entry and exit points.

and analyse characteristics. Once this engine detects the presence of a mask in a face image, the most appropriate facial recognition algorithm is used to extract and check the characteristics of each individual. The company says this enables high-precision certification even when there is a mix of mask wearers and non-wearers.

NEC’s internal evaluation using this engine confirmed a high recognition accuracy, with a rate of over 99.9% in 1:1 verification when masks of various colors and patterns were worn.

The new engine is compatible with several NEC products such as NEC Enhanced Video Analytics, that supports integrated solutions that combine face recognition with various image analysis functions, and Bio-IDiom Services, which utilise a variety of face and other biometric information to provide multi-modal biometrics solutions. It is also available with the NEC AI Accelerator, an edge computing device that detects faces from captured images, extracts minute detail and accelerates the entire face recognition process.

Photo by Pixabay

It is also interesting to note that some companies are even going into the business of developing new face covering for the masses to help protect them as they return to public spaces. In December 2020, multinational conglomerate Honeywell announced a new reusable, three-dimensional knitted

JAN / FEB 2021

SECURITY FEATURE - OPERATING SAFELY IN THE NEW NORMAL

face cover with replaceable filters for everyday use. The Honeywell DualLayer Face Cover features a seamless 3D knit design that contours to the wearer’s face and is made with a washable material, making it easy to clean.

respiratory innovations for industrial workers and first responders, and we have leveraged that expertise to bring the Dual-Layer Face Cover to market.

When social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, people want a protective face covering that is comfortable, easy-to-clean, stylish and manufactured by an industryleading safety technology provider.”

These new

Entering A New Era

challenges for

Made of polyester, nylon and cotton, it provides four-way stretch which minimises gaps and enhances comfort.

Its contoured design with adjustable ear straps, a flexible nose clip and ventilation holes gives function and breathability for most adult face shapes and sizes. The product also has a hidden pocket that securely holds a Honeywell protective filter made with melt-blown polypropylene, which is similar to the material used in the construction of N95s masks, according to the company.

Praveen Reddy, president of Honeywell’s personal protective equipment business, said: “Honeywell has vast experience in developing

The need for social distancing, which means keeping a safe space between people in public, also means that most commercial spaces have to reduce their crowd capacity once operations resume. They also have to set up temperature screening stations to ensure that patrons do not have a temperature of more than 37.5°C. As such, a lot of such businesses are procuring technology to make this process as seamless and convenient as possible to reduce operational disruption.

requirements present more complex safety and security operators, and are driving the need to automate processes.

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SECURITY FEATURE - OPERATING SAFELY IN THE NEW NORMAL

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

In December 2020, Bosch launched a human skin temperature detection solution that features built-in artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately identify people with elevated skin temperature at checkpoints in office buildings, manufacturing plants and airports. Besides being a contactless screening tool, the new Human Skin Temperature Detection leverages critical data to assist business owners and security operators to take the right predictive measures to safeguard their customer’s health and react to unfavourable situations.

Bosch’s Intelligent Video Analytics, a form of AI, is a standard in all of its video security cameras. As such, the camera’s thermal module is highly precise and has a radiometric accuracy of +/- 0.5 °C. The camera’s built-in AI detects faces in the field of view, and the decoder’s embedded thermal algorithm will locate the hotspots on the face. Additionally the solution provides a contactless measurement within a range of 2.5 to 4.5 meters, complying with the social distancing guidelines.

Operators can choose from three alarm profiles – absolute, relative, or automatic alarm thresholds – for high screening accuracy. In a controlled environment, such as inside a building, Bosch advises using the absolute alarm threshold. This profile measures the absolute skin temperature of the hottest spots on the face and triggers an alert when the preconfigured threshold is reached or exceeded.

In other instances when skin temperature may vary due to

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

environmental conditions, like air temperature, operators can apply the relative alarm threshold which is set up based on the average temperature of multiple persons plus x degree °C. For applications that need to scan large numbers of people daily, the automatic alarm threshold provides an alarm whenever the skin temperature is within a configurable fraction of the hottest previously observed values. The alarm threshold is automatically based on the rolling average of the population previously observed.

New Way Of Work Offices worldwide also have to make some adjustments as businesses move to a hybrid model of remote

Companies are likely to tap on technology to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and cost of their security operations.

and in-person workplaces to comply with public health mandates.

These new requirements present more complex safety and security challenges for operators, and are driving the need to automate approaches.

Security company HID Global announced its HID SAFE Facility and Risk Analytics solution in December 2020 that improves efficiency, agility and flexibility in hybrid workplaces through real-time occupancy monitoring, risk analytics and alerting, and reporting. The solution allows operators to create an easyto-understand risk score based on real-time and historical behaviour patterns by integrating AI-powered technology. By using AI, the solution compares workplace data from physical security systems to archived information about past access control events, including unauthorised activities. This provides a clear picture of emerging threat scenarios so organisations can diagnose and resolve security risks.

“The ability to identify patterns of behavior that highlight risk is critical for businesses that increasingly are adopting a hybrid work model with more complex risks and compliance

JAN / FEB 2021

SECURITY FEATURE - OPERATING SAFELY IN THE NEW NORMAL

needs,” says Julian Lovelock, Segment Vice President at HID Global. In a recent survey by the company, 66% of respondents said the future of work will be hybrid, where employees will work partially from home and partially in the workplace.

rapidly to cases and activate isolation procedures as needed.

Mark Robinton, Vice President of IoT Services, Identification Technologies with HID Global points out that one of the goals of HID Location Services for Workplace Safety is to help organisations restore productivity with confidence and take the manual leg-work out of contact tracing.

With this in mind, businesses are likely to tap on technology to predict security events and improve the effectiveness, efficiency and cost of their security operations at the same time. To create a safe workplace for employees who are returning to the office, operators can turn to several products that help to simplify and streamline the process of managing protocols required such as social distancing and contact tracing.

The new HID Location Services for Workplace Safety physical distancing application, for example, alerts employees via bluetooth when they are closer than two meters for a specified period of time.

The new contact tracing application works in a similar manner by leveraging bluetooth technology and is easily added to existing ID cards, providing a full digital trail of an employee’s whereabouts and interactions while at work.

This helps operators to respond

Collective Effort Besides the endeavours from businesses, governments are also ramping up containment measures to promote public health during the pandemic. In Singapore, the TraceTogether mobile app was launched in March 2020 to help support and supplement contact tracing efforts, as part of the nationwide strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The app works by exchanging short-distance bluetooth signals between phones to detect other participating TraceTogether users in close proximity. Records of such encounters are stored locally on each user’s phone. If a user is interviewed

by Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) as part of the contact tracing efforts, they can consent to send their

Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels

TraceTogether data to MOH. This is far more effective than relying on the recall and memory of interviewees, as there were instances when interviewees could not remember all their contacts, or did not have information on whom they had been in contact with.

When contact tracers inform TraceTogether users who are close contacts of COVID-19 cases, it enables users to take the necessary action sooner, such as monitoring his own health closely for signs of flu-like symptoms. Users have to give explicit consent to participate in TraceTogether, and for their mobile number and data to be used for contact tracing. This option for consent is provided during the initial set-up of the app. According to the government, the logs do not contain the users’ phone numbers but a set of cryptographically generated temporary IDs. The logs leave ther user’s phone only when they use the app to send the information to the authorities to facilitate contact tracing.

To cover all margins of society, the first batch of TraceTogether Tokens were distributed to the most vulnerable seniors who are not digitally connected in June 2020. As at 21 December 2020, the percentage of Singapore residents participating in the TraceTogether Programme has surpassed the 70% mark, with more than 3.8 million people using the app or token. By end February 2021, the government expects to have produced five million tokens for its residents.

Even during this crisis, businesses need to stay open to serve customers, generate revenue, pay employee salaries, and contribute to the economy. As companies and governments push ahead to continue the revival of economic activities under the “new normal”, technology products and offerings will continue to evolve and adapt to provide better solutions and security to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

This is only the beginning. 

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SECURITY FEATURE - PANDEMIC MEASURES AROUND THE WORLD

SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY

Pandemic Measures Around the World

By Muneerah Bee

United States of America

20 January marked the first case of COVID-19 in the US and it declared a public health emergency on 31 January.

While each American state had its own approach to contain the virus, a lockdown was not implemented on a federal level even though the President and First Lady of the US tested positive for the disease on 2 October.

More than 20 million cases have been recorded in the country so far.

United Kingdom

The virus entered the United Kingdom in late January 2020 and the government imposed a stay-at-home order in March under the Coronavirus Action Plan. The population had to stay home except for essential purchases and medical needs, and essential commute to work. On 27 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he contracted the virus.

The lockdown rules were eased in May 2020 and face masks were made compulsory on all public transport in England on 15 June.

September saw a resurgence of cases and new social distancing rules were implemented in England.

In early December 2020, a variant of the virus was detected in the UK, which seemed to be more contagious, and it began to spread by midDecember. This prompted another round of restrictions.

South Africa

Brazil

Brazil confirmed the first case of COVID-19 on 25 February 2020 and by 21 March, it had spread to every state in the country. The state of Santa Catarina was the first to declare a state of emergency on 17 March, and all nonessential businesses had to close.

Six municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro followed suit the next day. President Jair Bolsonaro downplayed the severity of the pandemic even after he tested positive for the disease in July 2020. He was quoted in the media saying: “Life goes on. Brazil needs to produce. You need to get the economy in gear.”

In November, 2020 Brazil recorded six million infections.

South Africa announced the first case of COVID-19 on 5 March 2020, and a national state of disaster was declared on 15 March. A national lockdown started on 27 March. On 1 May 2020, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa announced the country would start a progressive easing of the lockdown restrictions.

In December 2020, the country experienced a resurgence of COVID-19 infections and went back into a partial lockdown, which included closure of public amenities, a curfew from 9pm to 6am and a ban on sale of alcohol.

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SECURITY FEATURE - PANDEMIC MEASURES AROUND THE WORLD

The ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic saw countries around the world implementing restrictions on movement and gatherings, disrupting businesses and daily lives globally. We take a look at how some governments around the world handled the grave situation.

China

It all started when China reported cases of pneumonia on 31 Dec 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province. On 8 January 2020, Chinese scientists identified a new coronavirus as the cause of the pneumonia.

To control the outbreak, China imposed several drastic measures, including face mask mandates and lockdowns in Wuhan and the Hubei province at large. By 29 January, the virus had spread to all corners of China and all provinces swiftly launched public health emergency responses. The government declared most counties lowrisk by mid-March, and the lockdown in Wuhan ended on 8 April. As part of contact tracing, a smartphone-based health-tracking system was established and only people with a green code are allowed to move freely.

However, that did not spell the end of COVID-19 in China.

In January 2021, the country implemented a lock down in the northern city of Shijiazhuang, as the cases there grew.

New Zealand

Japan

Japan’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on 16 January 2020. Interestingly, the country never enforced a strict compulsory lockdown with penalties, even though several states of emergency were declared.The country chose to mitigate COVID-19 by early detection through contact tracing and early patient diagnosis and on 4 May, the government unveiled a programme to encourage behaviour changes among citizens. The 2020 Olympic Games, which was scheduled to be held in Tokyo in the summer of 2020, had to be postponed to 2021.

The latest state of emergency was declared in January 2021, for about a month for Tokyo and the prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa.

The first case of COVID-19 in New Zealand was reported on 28 February 2020. The country promptly closed all borders and entry ports to non-residents on 19 March. A four-tier alert level system was introduced on 21 March, and a majority of the country went into lockdown from 25 March. Thanks to the country’s fast action, lockdown restrictions were gradually lifted from 28 April onwards.

Unfortunately, lockdown restrictions were reinstated on 11 August after a second outbreak in Auckland, which were shortly lifted from 30 August onwards.

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